BEIJING: China on Tuesday welcomed a softer stand taken by Southeast Asian countries on the disputed South China Sea at a weekend summit, saying it showed efforts to ease tension were working.
The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) dropped references to “land reclamation and militarization” from its chairman’s statement this year at the end of its summit in the Philippine capital, Manila.
The reference had been included last year and was even in an earlier, unpublished version of the statement, seen by Reuters on Saturday.
Two ASEAN diplomats said that this year, China had pressed ASEAN chair the Philippines to keep China’s contentious activities in the strategic waterway off ASEAN’s official agenda.
China is not a member of the 10-member bloc and did not attend the summit but it is extremely sensitive about the content of its statements.
It has often been accused of trying to influence the drafting of statements to muzzle what it sees as challenges to its sweeping sovereignty claim.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang did not directly answer a question on whether China had exerted pressure over the statement.
“Since last year, with the joint efforts of China and ASEAN countries including the Philippines, temperatures in the South China Sea situation have gone down and things have eased up. I think this accords with the interests of countries in the region,” Geng told a daily news briefing.
“The relevant situation at this ASEAN summit again fully shows the positive changes in the South China Sea situation and that the joint wish of countries in this region is to seek stability, promote cooperation and seek development, and this should be respected and supported by all sides.”
China has reacted angrily to individual members of the regional bloc expressing their concern about its rapid reclamation of reefs in the Spratlys islands and its installation of missile systems on them.
Philippine foreign ministry official Zaldy Patron, who is in-charge of ASEAN affairs, said nobody at the summit had pushed strongly on the South China Sea issue, or mentioned anything about land reclamation and militarization.
“But on the other hand, the leaders highlighted improving relations between ASEAN and China,” Patron said in Manila.
The softer statement comes as Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte seeks to bury the hatchet with China after years of wrangling over its maritime assertiveness and over-lapping claims.
After lobbying from Duterte, China agreed to let Philippine boats back to the rich fishing ground of the disputed Scarborough Shoal following a four-year blockade.
China claims most of the South China Sea. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have competing claims that overlap with China’s.
Beijing welcomes ASEAN summit declaration on South China Sea
Beijing welcomes ASEAN summit declaration on South China Sea
EU says Ukraine to spend bulk of 90-bn-euro loan on military needs
- The European Commission said it was pushing for Kyiv to receive the first disbursement in April
- Von der Leyen said the funds will be used to buy weapons mainly from Ukraine and European nations
BRUSSELS: Two-thirds of a vital 90 billion euros ($105 billion) EU loan for Ukraine will go to cover Kyiv’s military apparatus with the rest earmarked for general budget support, Brussels said Wednesday.
Agreed by EU member states in December after months of diplomatic wrangling, the loan offers cash-strapped Ukraine a desperately needed lifeline as Russia’s invasion of its neighbor grinds toward its fifth year.
The European Commission said it was pushing for Kyiv to receive the first disbursement in April, as it provided details of the facility at a press conference in Brussels.
“With this support, we make sure that Ukraine can on one hand bolster its defense on the battlefield and strengthen its defense capabilities — so, its military needs — and on the other hand keep the state and basic services running,” EU chief Ursula von der Leyen told reporters.
Von der Leyen said the funds will be used to buy weapons mainly from Ukraine and European nations — something France and others have long said is key to bolster the EU’s defense industry and ease dependence on the United States.
But if the necessary equipment were not to be readily available in Europe, it would be occasionally possible for Kyiv to shop outside the continent, the commission president added.
“For us it is a lot of money. These are billions and billions that are being invested. And these investments should have a return on investment in creating jobs, in creating research and development,” said von der Leyen.
The loan, which is to cover two-thirds of Ukraine’s financial needs for the next two years, has to be approved by the European Parliament and member states before the money can start to be paid out.
It was agreed last month by European Union leaders who settled on a loan backed by the bloc’s common budget, after plans to tap frozen Russian central bank assets fell by the wayside.
The EU has said Ukraine would only need to pay back the money once Moscow coughs up for the damages it has wrought.
Brussels will cover interest costs, expected to hover around three billion euros per year, through the EU budget.
